Process of producing bars, bands, tubes, wires, fibers, and the like of metal.



O. SCHALLER. PROCESS OI PRODUCING BARS, BANDS, TUBES, WIRES, FIBERS, ANDTHE LIKILOF METAL.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 3, 1909.

947, 1 6,2. Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

- metal, having any U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OTTO SCI-IALLER', OF STEGLITZ, NEAR.IBERLIN, GERMANY.

PROCESS or rnomrcme BARS, BANDS, TUBES; WIRES, FIBERS, AND THE LIKE orMETAL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed May 3, 1909. Serial No. 493,678.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, O'r'ro 'SCHALLER, a citizen of the German Empire,and resident of Steglitz, near Berlin, German Empire, have invented anew and useful Improved Process of Producing Bars, Bands, Tubes, lVires,Fibers, and the Like of Metal, of which the following is a full, clear,and exact description. I

The process, forming the object of the present invention, serves toproduce bars, bands, tubes, wires, fibers and the like of desired crosssection, up to the very finest fibers, and it consists in spraying themetal, in a finely divided torm eventually in the form of paste-into aliquid, which may for instance, be acidified or to which salts, such asalum, soda, common salt, ammonia or sal ammoniac, have been added, thesaid liquid forming one pole (the positive) and the paste the other (thenegative) pole of a source of electric current. If a suitable voltage ischosen, the moment the mass contacts with the liquid under the influenceof the electric current, it will glow, and will sinter to a solid metalbefore it could even dry or oxidize, for instance, in the air. If water,and such liquids are employed as will be split or decomposedby theelectric current, a. reduction of any oxids, which may be present in themass will take place simultaneously. Owing to the reduction ofcross-section due to the glowing, the advantage is attained that theopening of the jet remains free and does not become choked up, thusrendering it possible to attain the very finest threads or filaments,such for instance, as employed for embroidering, or filigree work, orfor incandescence lamps. The fineness of the metal must of course beproportionate to the size of the jet or nozzle. A comparatively largeopening will admit of a coarser grain of metal, but the process enablesthe emloyment of the finest nozzle or jet openings. gpecial binding andreducing mediums may be added to the mass such as tarry or gelatinousmasses. These binding means are usually only employed in connection withthe coarser kinds of fibers, z'. 6. those of greater cross section. Asreducing means gases or carbon may be mixed in. The mass or paste mayconsist of a single metal or a mixture of diflerent metals. All metalscapable of being finely divided are suitable to form the mass. Inaddition to the more common metals, such as iron, aluminium, copper,tungsten and their alloys, the precious metals or rare earths, such asplatinum, silver, gold, iridium, titanium, tantalum, osmium maybe-employed. In this process, the mass will not dry or oxidize onleaving the nozzle, if the latter is in the liquid. In

this case a glass nozzle or a nozzle of some other suitable material ofa non-conductin nature and insulated as regards the liqui isadvantageously selected. The receptacle containing the mass may beutilized as current feed for the same, and the nozzle may, as usual, heinterchangeably connected to the same. The opening of the nozzle may,however, be above the current conducting liquid and if in this case, itis desired to prevent any possibility of a drying or oxidizing of themass the latter as it leaves the nozzle, may be surrounded byindifferent or inducing gases or vapors or by a liquid floating on thecurrent conducting liquid and possessing similar properties. The currentfeed to the liquid may be effected by an electrode placed in the liquidor by the liquid holder.

IVhen it is desirable that the metal should cease to glow after itreaches the bottom of the holder, either the depth of the latter shouldbe sufiiciently great, or a second holder of non-conducting material maybe arranged below the nozzle opening, in order to offer resistances tothe current corresponding to the prolongation of its path or the currentfeed to the liquid may be arranged close to the oint of entrance of themass into the liquid. The filament or fiber may first be led through aconducting liquid and then through a non-conducting one or the filamentma be drawn out of the liquid after it has slntered together. Theinstances here cited do not, of course, exhaust all the means suitablefor the purpose mentioned.

Increased density or strength may be imparted to the mechanically orincolloidal form finely divided metal in the sprayed mass or paste as itsinters together under the influence of the electric current, by placingthe contents of the holder containing the liquid under constant orvvarying pressure. For this purpose the nozzle is led through an openingof the otherwise closed holder and rendered as tight as possible. Thepressure may be generated by the air or gas or mixture of gases abovethe liquid which is com- Patented Jan. 18, 1910.

pressed either directly or by liquid pressure, or the compression may begenerated or increased by the gases formed during the glowing process.The electric tension may be regulated by hand or automatically independence on this pressure.

The holder may be rovided with a gage, thermometer, and sa ety'valve andis advantageously provided with peep holes.

The accompanying drawing shows an apparatus for carrying out theinvention.

In the drawing 1 indicates the paste; 2, the liquid; 3 the source ofcurrent; 4 the nozzle; 5 the receptacle and 6 the liquid holder.

I claim as my invention 1. A process of producing bars, tubes, bands,wires, fibers and the like of metal, which consists in that a masscontaining more or less finely divided metal is contacted with a currentconducting liquid, the said liquid being connected to the ositive poleand the mass to the negative poi; of a source of electricity.

2. A process of producing bars which consists invforcing a masscontaining more or less finely divided metal through a nozzle having itsouter end immersed in a liquid, the sad liquid being connected to thepositive pole and the mass to the negative pole of the source ofelectricity. 4

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of twovwitnesses.

WOLDEMAR HAUPT, HENRY HASPER.

